Friday, October 24, 2008

Right Start Math ~ Yellow is the Sun

I am still working on finding the best routine for fitting our new Math Program into our schedule, and we have fallen a bit behind of where I had hoped to be by now. I had started second guessing myself, and was wondering if switching from Saxon had been the best idea... After discussing it with my oldest son's tutor this past week, she reassured me (she has been really impressed looking through Right Start) and I started out this week with a better attitude about the program. This week has gone much better and I think I am finally starting to get use to Right Start. My children, on the other hand, are LOVING Math now!!

A number of the children have colds and runny noses, and I have a fever, so we postponed our planned trip to the Pumpkin Patch today. Instead we stayed home. While we were working on Math this morning, I was asked to video them singing "Yellow is the Sun."

Here is one of all 4 singing:

This one is of Twinkle Toes:

(If you notice how she is holding her hand... She scraped it up yesterday while falling down the hill as she was trying to slide down it on a plastic picnic table. Poor girl!)

Here is Chiquita... She is only 3, and rather young for Right Start, but she insists on being included. She is still working on memorizing the lyrics to this poem/song:

The boys insisted that I include this last video of the girls. Here you can get a glimpse of our little Chiquita's personality, when she gets bored with what we are doing, and decides to be silly:

So... What are you using for Math with your children, and how is it going for you this year?

I am a first time commenter also. I happened on your blog through another blog (actually Matilda's). Someone from our support group found her coloring pages. Anyways, long story short, I have been admiring your blog for a couple of weeks now. And admiring all the wonderful things you do with your kids!

As to your original question, we are using Saxon Math for my 4th grade son and Horizons Math for my 2nd grade daughter. It's going pretty well. We switched this year from MCP Math, which is a fine program, but just didn't seem to be "clicking" with my kids this year. ~Angela in Oregon

Hello Jessica and thank you again for such a lovely blog. I have been using many of your ideas (especially the ones from the kitchen) and my friends think I am just so creative. At last I told them "no, I'm just computer savy. Jessica from Shower of Roses is the creative one"Anyway, we use Teaching Textbooks for my 6th grader. The program starts at grade 4 and its a lot cheaper then Math-U-See. My daughter just loves it and it came highly recommended by several homeschool blogs.For my 2nd grader, Saxon just didn't work so we currently switched to Harcourt. He just likes the colors on the pages. I can still use the manipulatives from Saxon, but it's not so repetative. That's the part that didn't work for him. He, luckily, does well in math. Must be his papi's genes.By the way (sorry for the long post here) we used Little Saints for a preschool group last year. Our homeschooling co-op gathered all the preschool age kids, 3-5, once a week and used the program together. Each mom became a "teacher" in some area. I wish I could show you some pictures. It was a wonderful year for our 10 little ones.In Christ,ElizabethCA

We used Saxon Math and found that we did not like it in the least. The repetition was enough to have me wanting to spit at the book. So, we readjusted and use two things now. We have the Seton Math workbooks and both the 1st grader and Kindergartner use that. My first grader also is reading Math Magic for Your Kids by Scott Flansburg. We work on reading a bit of it every day or every other day. It is a fun presentation and it appeals to him in its lack of repetition and is heavy on reading and "tricks"!! I also do hands-on things to reinforce what the workbooks or text is talking about - like finding things in real life to solidify the concept.

Hi Jessica, I think we have used every single math program. Except for Right Start. My older two are using Teaching Textbooks and finally it is working!!! I am trying so hard to be consistent with the younger children. I don't want to make the same "mistakes" that I did with the older ones. BTW, I have heard great things about Right Start Math.God Bless,Kirsten

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A Little About Me

Hi! I'm Jessica, a Roman Catholic wife and home educating mother to our eight children. I was home educated myself, along with my eleven younger siblings. I have a special devotion to St. Therese, through whom I have been given much help and many blessings--the beautiful "Shower of Roses" that she has sent my way! Here I will record a few of the blessings I treasure. Please remember that what you see here is just a little glimpse at our lives, so please say a prayer for us, as we continue to strive for holiness.

Prayer of Mothers

Father in heaven, grant me the grace to appreciate the dignity which you have conferred on me. Let me realize that not even the Angels have been blessed with such a privilege—to share in your creative miracle and bring new Saints to heaven. Make me a good mother to all my children after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son. Through the intercession of Jesus and Mary I ask your continued blessings on my family. Let us all be dedicated to your service on earth and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in heaven. Amen.